It is known that whatever their kind and origin, nutraceuticals and pharmaceuticals, that are not readily water soluble, have relatively limited bioavailability. Many factors are recognized in the art as limiting bioavailability including relatively limited membrane fluidity, solubility, unstable dispersions or emulsions. Additionally the presence of competing non-actives for the same enzymatic functionality, such as Omega-6 versus Omega-3. Mammals cannot interconvert the Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids and their metabolism requires the same desaturation enzymes.
Numerous other competing interactions take place in vivo, including calcium and magnesium absorption, minerals required for enzymatic activation including zinc, acid intake and blood pH being too acidic, gastrointestinal and/or brain barrier permeation to name a few.
The presence of Omega-3 oils in food is of great importance since they cannot be synthesized by human and animal tissues and should thereby be provided with the diet. In tissues these essential fatty acids are converted to longer and more unsaturated fatty acids of the Omega-6 and Omega-3 families, such as arachidonic acid (AA), eicosapentaenoic (EPA), and docosahexaenoic (DHA), which are present in marine oils (fish, microalgae) in relatively high amounts. The health benefits of linoleic acid, alpha-linolenic acid, AA, EPA and DHA are well documented in the literature. These benefits include hypolipidemic, anti-thrombotic, and anti-inflammatory properties. They are also essential fats for growth, brain function, and visual acuity, especially for infants. Omega-3's are further recognized for their positive impact on psychiatric, brain, and neurologic conditions.
Many products ranging from functional foods and confectioneries to nutraceuticals and pharmaceuticals are emulsions or may be made into emulsions. An emulsion is a colloidal dispersion of two immiscible liquids, such as oil and water, in the form of droplets. If oil droplets are finely dispersed in water, then this is an oil-in-water or O/W emulsion. When water droplets are finely dispersed in oil, then this is a water-in-oil or W/O emulsion. O/W and W/O emulsions play a prominent role in the preparation of a wide range of products including foods, pharmaceutical products and cosmetics. It would be thus desirable to provide enhanced bioavailability compositions formed from natural ingredients and methods to effectively increase efficacy within highly polyunsaturated oils in O/W and W/O emulsions.
Numerous other products ranging from functional foods and beverages may incorporate powder actives. The powder's solubility and bioadhesion characteristics in vivo are of critical importance to the bioavailability of the functional active. It is also highly desirable for the powder to be delivered within a transparent beverage, or at other times having an opacifier impact. Regardless of the delivery system, it is always desirable for the delivery system to have a pleasing taste absent of bitterness. At other times, the powder's taste is desired to be salty, sweet, or even creamy thus adding taste functionality beyond the health and nutrition functionality.
Another significant area addressing the inclusion of functional actives centers around oxidation stability. One such prior art method is the utilization of a class of surface active agents or emulsifiers, as noted in the art U.S. Pat. No. 5,079,016 by Todd, Jr. on Jan. 7, 1992 titled “Color-stabilized carotenoid pigment compositions and foods colored therewith having increased resistance to oxidative color fading” includes surface active agents or emulsifiers with strong stabilizing and synergistic properties with natural antioxidants: sorbitan esters, such as mono and tri oleates and stearates, lactic acid esters of monoglycerides and diglycerides. Surface active agents or emulsifiers with strong stabilizing and modest synergistic properties include polyglycerol esters of fatty acids, such as octaglycerol monooleate, decaglycerol capric-caprylate, and decaglycerol tetraoleate, mono-diglycerides of fatty acids, such as glycerol mono oleate, acetylated monoglycerides, citric acid esters of mono-diglycerides, lecithin, and propylene glycol esters of fatty acids. The prior art notes an unexpected synergism exhibited between rosemary and sorbitan trioleate, as a preferred representative of the class of non-ionic surface active agents. This example shows that tocopherols significantly interact with these stabilizers to further improve the stability of the carotenoid pigments. This prior art identifies the importance of very specific and unique synergistic combinations.